We Demand Game Boy Advance Games on the 3DS eShop

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By Audrey Drake

Portable gaming enthusiasts worldwide rejoiced last week when it was announced that Game Boy Advance games would finally be available for download on the 3DS eShop. Of course, the fine print behind this exciting announcement is that they will only be available to 3DS Ambassadors -- those of us who plopped down the cash for Nintendo's newest handheld system before the big price drop.

In addition to 10 free NES games, those lucky folks will also be getting 10 free GBA games (including Metroid Fusion, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$). Unfortunately, as of now there are no plans to make GBA titles available for purchase to the general public.

Sorry, Nintendo, but this just isn't going to fly. It's your own fault, really, for making so many fantastic GBA games -- but the simple truth is that it's downright cruel to tease us with their presence and not start releasing the full catalogue. So unless the folks over at the Big N have some aversion to getting massive amounts of our money, here are 10 reasons the company should stop beating around the bush and make GBA games a staple in the 3DS eShop.

Although another of Link's portable adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, is already available on the 3DS Virtual Console, my handheld just won't feel complete until I have a way to play Minish Cap on it as well. This title, which Nintendo co-developed alongside Capcom, is delightful from beginning to end. Minish Cap has everything you could want from a Zelda game: cool new items (like the Mole Mitts and Gust Jar), an enthralling story, a fun, new shrinking mechanic, and the return of Vaati, one of Link's best and most underrated villains. We'd also love to see the GBA version of A Link to the Past with Four Swords, but since we're getting a free download of Four Swords later this year (and there are rumblings about a 3DS remake of A Link to the Past), we'll gladly take Minish Cap in its stead.

We want to be the very best, Nintendo. Don't stand in our way. In other words, please bring the third generation of Pokemon titles to the 3DS eShop so we can start catching all the monsters the Hoenn region has to offer. This title is probably the most stylistically different of all the core games, but it's still jam-packed with Pokemon fun. Give us Poke Masters all three versions, and allow us to trade between them, and that will be enough to keep us satisfied until the first 3DS generation of core games comes out. FireRed and LeafGreen would be incredible too, but honestly it just wouldn't seem right for those to make it to the Virtual Console before the original versions.

Kupo! In case you're wondering, Nintendo, that's Moogle for, "Please bring Final Fantasy Tactics Advance to the 3DS eShop now!" This turn-based strategy RPG is a real gem, and it's about time these memorable characters were given the chance to shine once again. The gameplay is completely engrossing and the story is out there but quite enthralling. So please, let those of us who love this title finally have the chance to download it to our newest handheld, and give those who passed on it the first time around the opportunity to help Marche and crew save Ivalice and return home.

I've already covered why you don't know jack about Mega Man if you haven't played this game, so suffice to say it's a no brainer for the 3DS Virtual Console. The game's epic blend of real-time buster action and card game-esque strategy is unique, nuanced, and completely badass. Each of these games also has more content than you can possibly imagine, especially if you try to take on the daunting task of getting a perfect file. No, I won't be greedy and demand all of the Battle Network games, but the first three are absolutely required playing. Between this and the Mega Man Zero Collection on DS (which packaged all four of Zero's GBA adventures into one cartridge), my Mega Man needs would be satisfied until Capcom comes to its senses and stops canceling every Mega Man game that's in development.

If you love Mario, laughing so hard it hurts, and unique, action-oriented RPGs, then Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga might just be for you. Seriously, this game is laugh-out-loud hilarious, with a ridiculous but beyond fun storyline accompanied by a battle system that builds upon Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Star's roots by adding more action commands and more complexity to the already stellar set-up. It's about time Mario fans had the chance to return to the Beanbean Kingdom, and the eShop offers the perfect opportunity.